


Artemis: A Negan XXXmas Tale

by negansdirtygirl



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (Comics), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Christmas Smut, Eventual Smut, F/M, My First Smut, Shameless Smut, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2017-01-25
Packaged: 2018-09-11 01:17:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8947462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/negansdirtygirl/pseuds/negansdirtygirl
Summary: A woman named Artemis has carved out a royal place for herself with The Saviors while managing to resist becoming one of Negan's wives. After a night of drinking and reminiscing by the Christmas tree, she and Negan decide to have one night of passion before she sets out on her own.





	1. My Queen

**Author's Note:**

> While this is not the first fanfic I've written, it is the first that I've ever shared. Feedback is welcome and appreciated! A big thank you to @owtsydedbox on Tumblr for requesting this story and conceptualizing such an amazing character. I am honored to have been the one to bring her to life on the page.

**Warnings:** Language. Mentions of Death. Drinking/Alcohol. Fingering. Oral Sex. Vaginal Sex.  
  
Artemis stood motionless at her bedroom window at The Sanctuary, watching the snow drift down. A few inches had piled up overnight, providing an extra blanket of protection from both hungry walkers and troublesome human beings. With each snowflake that caught her eye, she counted one of her blessings. Though she had grown more than a bit numb inside, she was a survivor and she appreciated that survival on its own merit.  
  
Her bravery and strength had earned her a private section of Negan's massive compound. Her area included a large bedroom with a king-size bed and cozy furnishings, a kitchen outfitted with all the necessities, a living area that was more than ample for entertaining, and an outdoor garden and greenhouse where she nurtured precious seeds into nutritious food for herself and the other Saviors.  
  
Of course, all those perks didn't come for free. Artemis had worked long, hard hours both on the premises and off. She had earned the respect of Negan and The Saviors with her incredible hunting skills, her green thumb, her way of helping people bridge their differences, and even her leadership skills. Though Negan was regarded as king around these parts, she had carved out a certain throne of her own in a way. It was unspoken, but felt by all.  
  
Though Negan would have loved to make her one of his wives, Artemis was not willing. She vehemently opposed his polyamorous ways, even if she did find him damn near irresistible. They came close to kissing just once, but somewhere between leaning in and lips meeting, an argument ensued and it never happened. He always flirted with her and she always rebuffed him. She was growing tired of the repeated charade. Tired of going on runs and working so hard. Tired of so many things.  
  
On her most recent run, she had the good fortune of finding an old Christmas tree, complete with lights and ornaments. It was a little wobbly, missing a leg, but it would stand. The ornaments were in decent shape. Some had years engraved on them. Others were made by daughters and sons, with their single-digit ages written on the back. Now, as the snow fell and Artemis's long-suppressed memories flooded back, she admired that Christmas tree with its glimmering lights and tattered ornaments. Both the memories and the tree really were beautiful, even if broken.  
  
She reached into the box to grab the last ornament and placed it delicately near the top of the tree, going up on her tip-toes to reach the highest branch. "What a stunning fucking view," a familiar deep voice boomed from the doorway behind her. She turned and gave him a feisty smirk, trying to wipe her bad mood away. It was time to play the game.  
  
"Which one? The tree or me?"  
  
Negan strolled into the room confidently like he owned it, though this part of his compound belonged officially to Artemis. He set Lucille down on the armchair and leaned in close to whisper in Artemis's ear. "Well, let's just say I'd like to decorate _your_ tree, if you know what I mean." He chuckled at his own horrible line as if he were the funniest man in the world.  
  
Artemis squirmed at his attempt to hit on her. Her mouth puckered like she bit into a lemon and she shrugged to shake off his advances. Ever observant, Negan noticed the departure from her usual sunny demeanor.  
  
"Princess, what's wrong?" He shook his head at his own question. "Scratch that. I _know_ what's wrong. I've heard the rumors. You're not happy here anymore. You want to leave."  
  
Artemis stood with her arms folded in front of her, not reacting.  
  
"Don't go, Artemis. The Sanctuary wouldn't be deserving of its name if you weren't here. We built this place together." He enfolded her into his arms and she nuzzled into his black leather jacket, still a little cold from the snow. "Tell Negan how he can make it better."  
  
"I'm not a baby, Negan!" She snapped back at him though her head never left his chest. "I provide for this place like I'm the queen but you call me princess! I do everything in my power to resist you but you just keep coming at me with those eyes and that smile..." Her words trailed off as she realized she'd said too much. _Great job playing it cool, Artemis,_ she thought to herself sarcastically. _That won't go to his head at all._  
  
But surprisingly, it didn't. He didn't gloat or glower. He simply continued stroking her cheek and holding her close. He spoke with genuine love in his voice. "I'm sorry, Artemis. I'm sorry about the pet names, about the teasing, about the too-long days and the lonely nights. Doomsday hasn't been kind to any of us and you deserve so much more happiness than I've given you."  
  
Artemis brushed away her tears and looked into Negan's eyes. "It's not your job to make me happy, silly." She tried to be cute and coy as she normally would, but he reacted with a slight frown. She realized in that moment that he really wanted that responsibility. "But you do, you know."  
  
"I do what?" he asked, still looking mopey.  
  
"Make me happy." She answered. As the last syllable escaped her lips, she reached up to finally give him the kiss that he'd been longing for. But he placed a gloved finger on her lips to shush her, preempting their kiss yet again.  
  
"Now you're just fucking lying, darling," he said, shaking his head at her. "If anything, I've made you very unhappy. If that weren't true, you wouldn't be leaving."  
  
Artemis turned away from him and sighed, running a hand down the cold window and feeling the condensation on her fingertips. Keeping her eyes on the snow and her back to Negan, she explained herself. "I've lost a lot, you know, and not one bit of that was your fault. You've actually been the first thing to take my mind off of the past. My husband, my kids. They were everything to me."  
  
While Artemis continued opening up her heart to him, Negan ambled over to her bookshelf where he spied a tall bottle of his favorite scotch. "Ah, I used to drink this with Lucille," he said in a rare sentimental voice, recalling his wife who had died early in the walker outbreak. "Have a glass with me, doll?" He didn't wait for a yes before he began to pour.  
  
Several glasses later, both Artemis and Negan were sufficiently tipsy, waxing nostalgic on good times so distant that they felt like a lifetime ago. "And Lucille! That Christmas!" He hiccuped a bit between words but Artemis found it adorable. "She made it magical. Every inch of our home sparkled with lights and tinsel. She proposed that we renew our vows. And then before we could, I— I lost her."  
  
A single tear slid down his cheek and Artemis kissed it away, her hands on his salt and pepper beard and her eyes locked on his. "She's still with you," she told him gently. "Your softer side. She gave you that."  
  
He nodded, knowing Artemis was right. Her hands slipped down to his strong chest and his found their way into her hair. He pulled her close to finally plant a kiss on her pouty lips, pressing his mouth into hers a little harder than he meant to, then parting his lips to gently surround and suck her bottom lip. She felt lightheaded and she wasn't sure if it was from the scotch or the lovely giddiness that was taking over her normally stoic brain.  
  
"I love you." Artemis's eyes grew wide. She thought her lips betrayed her thoughts for a moment. But no, the words were spoken by Negan. No sizzling sexual innuendo. No juvenile flirting. No threat of violence. She was seeing Negan at his most raw and vulnerable and she wasn't sure how to react.  
  
"Negan, I love— I could love you. Sometimes I think maybe I do. But your wives..."  
  
He shushed her with his finger again. "I know, baby doll. I know how you feel. I'm never going to settle down and you're never going to join the harem. I fucking get that. You're going to ride off into that wasteland horizon without me. So how about tonight, just for one night, we put all that aside and just love each other?"  
  
At that suggestion, Artemis melted into his arms, deciding that she deserved one night of passion before she hit the dusty road. All the desire that had built up over so much time spilled out in a sigh. That sigh was met by Negan's growl, and before she knew it he was on top of her, smothering her mouth with fervent kisses, his hands roaming all over her body and tearing at her clothes. He roughly picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist, and carrying her over to the Christmas tree. He placed her softly down on the carpet where she could stare up into the twinkling lights while he burrowed his face into the sweetness between her legs.  
  
"Negan, I've wanted you for so long." She ran her hands through his thick, dark hair and then dug her nails into his strong shoulder muscles. She thought she might burst with pleasure when he parted her lips with his tongue and sucked gently at her pretty pink pearl. "Mmm, mmm, mmm, Neeeeeegan," she moaned with zero control over her senses.  
  
Negan flicked his tongue at her clit and teased it gently with his teeth, slipping a finger inside of her to see if she was wet enough to handle his raging hard-on. "You are dripping wet, baby doll. Why don't we see if I can fit this long, thick cock inside that tight pussy?" Artemis tightened up at the suggestion. "Oh, baby, don't be scared. I won't hurt you. Unless you want me to."  
  
He propped himself up on one elbow, using the other to pump his cock and spread his pre-cum over his length. Artemis looked down with hunger, nostrils flaring with desire, and Negan recognized the look in her eyes. "Oh, honey, I forgot my manners. Would you like a taste before I fuck you senseless?"  
  
"Mmm," she nodded, barely able to speak as her mouth was watering so much. "Yes, Daddy. Please."  
  
Negan stood, towering over her, kicking off his pants and offering her a hand. He led her over to her cozy king-size bed, sitting on the edge and gesturing towards his throbbing member. "I'm all yours, baby. Come give us a kiss."  
  
Artemis wrapped her glossy lips around the head of his cock, lightly sucking and teasing him, flicking her tongue along his ridge. She took him in her hand and went further south, pressing her wet tongue onto his balls, then heading back up to the tip, applying pressure the whole way along the underside of his cock. He shuddered and groaned with pleasure, grabbing the back of her head and forcing her to take him fully into her mouth. Her pussy throbbed in response to the unrelenting mouth fucking, wanting so badly to be his next victim.  
  
He let her come up for air, his dick escaping her mouth with a satisfying pop, and she immediately begged him to fuck her. "Please, Negan. I need you inside me."  
  
He didn't need to be begged, but he definitely loved it. He stood, pushing her down onto the bed and sliding quickly between her legs. The head of his cock pulsated, shiny with pre-cum, as he rubbed it between her pussy lips and against her throbbing clit. Their grunts and groans came together to make a sinful symphony, and finally when he couldn't take it anymore, he stopped teasing her and decided to let her have what she had dreamed of for so long.  
  
But she was tight. So tight. It had been so long since anyone had made love to her. "Ohh, baby," he groaned, loving the tightness but knowing that she needed to relax to fully accommodate his girth. "I'm gonna have to take this one inch at a time, sweetness. Are you ready?"  
  
"Ohhhh," she moaned, already in heaven at the feeling of just the tip teasing the entrance to her sugar walls. "I'm— I'm— I'm ready, Daddy."  
  
"One," he counted out loud, pressing the first inch inside of her.  
  
She gasped with bliss. "More, Negan. I'm ready."  
  
"Two," he continued his count, sliding another inch in and using all his strength to refrain from just pounding her selfishly with his full length. "Three."  
  
Her nails were digging into his back and her eyes were locked on his. "Oh, Negan. Ohh God, Negan. You're so big."  
  
"Four. Five. Six." His hunger got the best of him and he rushed the next few inches, surprising her and making her scream out loud as he dove into her depths.  
  
"How much more?" she asked in disbelief that she could possibly handle the rest.  
  
"Just a couple more inches, baby."  
  
Artemis stared deep into his eyes, shoring up the courage to take every bit of him in.  
  
"Seven. Eight. Fuuuuuuck."  
  
He was fully buried in her now, thrusting in and out, driving her to the heights and depths of sexual gratification. She oohed and ahhed as he drove into her, attempting to express her delight but barely able to get any words out. "I've never— never— never been fucked like this before, Negan!"  
  
"Those fucking sorry shits that banged you before the apocalypse were nothing like me, baby," he grunted in her ear. He pounded away relentlessly, bringing tears of joy to her eyes. The intensity increased with each moment until it was too much for either of them to sustain. She came in a sheer waterfall of wetness, drenching his cock just in time for him to explode inside of her. They felt the walls of reality shatter around them as their orgasms enveloped all their senses. As they regained their senses and caught their breath, Negan whispered to her, "You will never forget this night, my princess." He paused for a moment, correcting himself. "My queen."


	2. Afterglow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the afterglow of their first intimate encounter, Artemis recalls the day she first met Negan. He later confronts her about her plans to leave the Sanctuary.

Artemis was curled up on the sofa in front of the Christmas tree wearing only Negan's white T-shirt, blowing on a steamy mug of black tea and watching the snow continue to pile up outside her bedroom window. Negan was still asleep in her bed, happily worn out from their unforgettable first time making love. She glanced back at him and smiled, knowing he was content. She was content too, yet so conflicted.

Just hours prior, she had been ready to spend her last Christmas at the Sanctuary and head off into the world on her own. She had crafted a comfortable home for herself at the Sanctuary and earned the respect of the Saviors as an equal leader alongside Negan. She was the feminine counterpart to his over-the-top masculine rulership and she really loved that role for a while. But lately, she longed for the independence and freedom that defined her days before the apocalypse changed things so irreversibly. There was an itch within her that needed to be scratched. An undeniable longing to start over fresh.

She stood and quietly padded over to the bed in her bare feet, watching Negan snore gently, more like a cuddly teddy bear than a big bad wolf. She was the only one who had the privilege of seeing him this way. She did love him. There was no question about it. She trailed a fingertip across his brow, touching the soft curls at his forehead. He may have been a fearsome ruler and an unpredictable character on the outside, but she knew him better than any of his followers did. She had seen how deep his thoughts were and how kind his instincts could be. _If I do leave, I'll never find another Negan in this world,_  she thought to herself, unsure if she was grateful for finding him or trapped by her love for him.

After all, Artemis wasn't the kind of woman to be tamed by any man. She had always been a lone wolf. She'd never stayed in one place for long in her pre-apocalyptic life, preferring to skip town when things got too comfortable in order to find something fresh and exciting for herself. The way she saw it, life was for the living, and staying in one place for too long, you might as well be one of the dead.

Standing there looking at Negan’s sweet sleeping face, free of the dramatic expressions that he wore like a mask when he was awake, Artemis’s mind flew back to the day that she first laid eyes on him, just as the world was falling into disarray.

\---

A little more than a year and a half ago, Negan had just lost his wife, Lucille. He was still freshly traumatized by the harrowing experience in the hospital, watching her die of cancer and then turn into a zombie before his very eyes. He was gutted and his demeanor was nothing like the preening peacock that he would later portray himself as. He wasn’t even in his right mind.

Artemis had the idea to fly as far out of the city as she possibly could before things got worse, and so she headed straight for the airport. No family or real friends to tie her down, she was ready to embark on a new journey once again. She surmised that the walkers had only been a local phenomenon and that if she could just get far enough away, she could find a place where things were calm and normal.

She was so wrong. The airport was decimated. This giant travel hub that was always buzzing, always filled with life, always providing a gateway to the world, was empty of the living. A few walkers shuffled along here and there. Some huddled down on the ground, eating the scraps of the humans that remained. But for the most part, the airport was just hollow and dead, a microcosm of the global situation that was rapidly unfolding.

Artemis stood in place, eyes transfixed on the now-dead displays that should have listed her flight information. She couldn’t turn on the news and find out how widespread the epidemic was. She couldn’t check social media to see what was happening to others that she knew. But if the world had stopped, why was she still breathing? What was next for her if she couldn't hop a flight and escape? She really didn’t know how to hunker down and stay in one place, and it felt even more claustrophobic to try and do so while surrounded by the walking dead.

Suddenly, movement near the baggage claim caught her eye. A six-foot-something man in jeans and a cargo jacket was ambling around nearly as aimlessly as the walkers. On a normal day, Artemis would have thought he was drunk. Today, she knew better, and she strode up to him boldly, eager for any moment of human contact.

"Hi. I'm Artemis." She held out her hand to shake his. He stared at it blankly for several seconds before looking up at her face, still not taking her hand. His eyes were wild, like an undomesticated animal who did not trust the human being approaching him. Finally, he extended his hand, gripping hers firmly. The warmth surprised her, a glaring contrast to the cold death that was everywhere around them.

"I'm Negan. I..." His words trailed off as his eyes scanned their surroundings again. "My... my wife. Her sister. She was on her way here. She doesn't... she doesn't know—"

"Hold on." Artemis led him into what had been a customs office where she sat him down and secured the door. It was clear that he wasn't in his right mind and she wanted to make sure they were safe before he started to spill his story. She grabbed a wooden chair and slammed it on the concrete, breaking off one of the legs to use as a weapon in case any of the walkers got in. She broke off another and handed it to Negan. "OK, breathe. We're safe in here. Let’s talk. Your wife? What happened?"

He gripped the arms of the chair, white-knuckled, his eyes welling up with tears. "Lucille... she... it was cancer. It took her. She died in the hospital, in her sleep." He paused, choking back tears. "She turned... she became... one of them."

Just as Negan said the words, a walker smashed through the door that Artemis thought she had secured so well. Instantly, the undead creature lunged at her, pinning her against the desk and causing her to drop her stake. “Fuck!” She screamed as the walker snarled at her, fighting hard to get a taste of her flesh. Negan snapped out of his despondent state and charged forward, slamming the stake hard through the walker’s chest. Blood spurted everywhere but the walker was unaffected.

“What the fuck? This motherfucker!” Negan unleashed his first of many rounds of cuss words in front of Artemis.

“Jesus!” Artemis screamed. “It won’t die!”

Negan gripped the stake, pulling it back out of the walker’s chest and driving it straight through its head. Immediately, the zombie released its grip on Artemis and slunk down to the floor, dead. “There, you sorry shit,” Negan muttered with disdain, eying the gaping hole he had left in its forehead and noting the effectiveness of the head wound. “Are you OK? Shit, hon, I didn’t even ask your name.”

Negan ran a hand through his dark brown hair and smiled a little, revealing dimples that would make any girl melt. And melt, she did. She broke eye contact with him and stared at the floor for a moment, uncomfortable to let him see her blush. She stammered a bit, changing the subject.

“You... you were telling me about Lucille. You said... you said she became one of these things?” She gestured toward the walker and prodded him for more information. She was confused by what he had said. She'd watched as a coworker was bitten by a walker and she had to flee from him when he subsequently turned, but at that point she had no idea that the virus was in everyone and that you would turn even if you died peacefully. Negan was still in shock over it himself as he recounted the heartbreaking moments for her.

"The cancer took her. She died in her sleep, in her hospital bed. I didn't know that she would become one of them. I thought... I was grateful, you know, that she wouldn't have to live through this nightmare. But then she... her eyes... she attacked me. She attacked me!" He stammered and spit, barking the words like a madman. A weaker woman might have backed up or went running for the door, but Artemis stepped forward, closer, reaching out for his hand again. He took it hesitantly.

She wanted to say something. Wanted so badly to find the right words to comfort him. But there were no words for this. They stared at each other for a long while, a silent understanding growing between them. It was the beginning of an honest friendship.

\---

"Mmm, babydoll," Negan growled as he awoke from his slumber, startling Artemis from her recollection of their meeting at the airport, which now seemed so long ago. "Why has my queen left my arms?" He stretched, reaching his muscled and tattooed arms above his head and then grabbing Artemis's hand, pulling her down on top of him. She erupted in bubbles of laughter as he tickled her sides, kissing her neck and whispering _I love you_ in her ear.

"Oh, Negan. I do love you."

He pulled back slightly to take in the features of her classically beautiful face. She could tell by his expression that he picked up on the phrasing. That he knew she was thinking things over. "I know you've got a shit ton to think about, Artemis. But you know…” His words trailed off, his eyes clouding over with a dark anger that he always reserved for the other Saviors.

He suddenly flew up out of the bed, balling his fists and gritting his teeth. He looked less than intimidating considering the fact that he was naked, but he had Artemis's attention for sure. His voice became strained and he yelled loudly enough that she was glad they were in her private space. “I’ve given you a fucking lot here, babe. The other wives share every fucking thing! They live over there with me and the rest of the guys, not over here in a special fucking building of their own! You’re basically the fucking Queen of the Saviors and you just want to take the fuck off and abandon all this? I don’t fucking get it.”

“What the fuck?” Artemis flew into a rage. “Who do you think you are? You don’t fucking own me, Negan!”

“Oh no? Well, you pretty much own this fucking place, don’t you? Looks like it went to your goddamn head.”

Artemis stormed across the room, using all of her strength to steel herself against the barbs that he was flinging at her. She wanted to topple that beautiful Christmas tree and spill her anger out by breaking every last ornament. But no, she had worked too hard finding that tree and making it sparkle. Instead, she grabbed the glass that Negan had been drinking scotch from earlier that night and she threw it at the wall behind his head.

Negan flew forward as it shattered, grabbing her hard by the wrist. “What the fuck, Artemis? Not two minutes ago, you said you loved me and now you’re trying to disfigure my handsome fucking face.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at his words. “Fuck, Negan. You’re too much.” She counted to three, watching the lights on the tree twinkle and centering herself before speaking again. “I _do_ love you. I don’t want to abandon anything. I just have a lot to think about. I’m not your pet and I’m not your slave.”

Negan’s eyes softened. His grip loosened and his hand moved to hold hers. “OK, OK. I’m fucking sorry. I am.” Artemis knew that what he wasn’t saying was that he really wanted and needed her there. His anger came through loud and clear, but his fear did too. She was good for him. She’d never be Lucille, but she was important to him and she was healing his heart. Maybe he was healing hers too. “Come here, baby.”

Artemis gave in and leaned into his embrace, stroking his face and touching the dimples that she first fell in love with so long ago. He kissed her hard, pressing his mouth into hers and biting at her lips, then squeezing her and planting sweet little pecks all over her cheeks. She smiled and looked deeply into the hazel eyes she adored.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips, revealing rare resignation. “I'll give you the time and space that you need. I won't keep you here if you need to fucking go. But last night..." He trailed off, running his thumb across her lower lip and then tracing the hem of her shirt with his calloused hands. "I loved every single fucking moment with you. I want more of those moments. I'll be clear. I don't want you to leave."

Artemis sighed sweetly in response to his beautiful words. "I know, Negan. I just need to figure some things out. You know, this isn't what I pictured when I imagined my future."

"Oh, hon. This isn't what _any_ of us pictured." He twirled a lock of her thick, sand-colored hair between his fingers. "What we pictured isn't out there anymore."

Glancing back out the snowy windowpane and seeing the walkers in the distance, she knew that what he said was true.


	3. Savior Behavior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Saviors and Negan's wives react badly to his love connection with Artemis and the two formulate a plan to keep their image intact. Things get hot and steamy between the two of them within the real sanctuary of Negan's office.

Artemis woke up in Negan’s arms yet again. As much as she wanted to run far and fast away from everything that she had built with him at the Sanctuary, she also heard his request very clearly and understood that he did not want her to leave. He was as in love with her as she was with him, and even beyond that, it must have been difficult for him to imagine this place without her at the helm alongside him. They had built a powerful home base and she would be taking her light away if she left. She brought a hopefulness that the Saviors could not find in Negan.  
  
They had been a team for well over a year now and they had accomplished great things. They had managed to keep most of their people safe from harm, both from walkers and humans, and they had a pretty nice system working for them, where other groups provided resources in exchange for… well, in exchange for not getting their brains bashed in by Negan. It was a bit of a dictatorship but it did work. Especially if you were lucky enough to be on this side of it.  
  
Artemis left Negan sleeping and headed out to the mess hall to grab a hasty breakfast. When she walked in, she could sense the stares from all the Saviors. _How do they know?_ she wondered. But Negan spent two nights in her building and never left at all the previous day. Anyone could do the math and apparently they had. The men had a certain unmistakable leer on their faces and Negan’s wives almost couldn’t look at her. This was dramatically different from the respect that she was used to, and she couldn’t help but be concerned by it.  
  
“If you’ve got something to say to me, I suggest you speak up. Otherwise, get back to your breakfasts.” She slammed her tray down on one of the cafeteria tables as she walked by, cool and casual even as she kept them in line. The men’s eyes snapped back to the food in front of them. The wives took a second longer, giving her a little sneer before pushing the eggs and sausage around on their plates and whispering among themselves.  
  
Artemis scooped eggs onto her plate, ignoring the quiet buzz around her. At least they weren't looking anymore. She grabbed a couple of sausages and some bacon. The Saviors had brought in a good haul that week. She poured herself a cup of orange juice from a cracked crystal pitcher and sat down at the table where she and Negan usually ate breakfast together.  
  
Just then, Negan ambled into the mess hall looking a bit of a mess himself. _Oh, come on_ , Artemis thought, rolling her eyes. _This is not going to help matters._  
  
He yawned and stretched, looking around with a smile on his face. "Good fucking morning, Saviors." His voice boomed through the large space. "Sleep well, you sorry shits?"  
  
"Not as well as _you_ did, boss!" A straggly-haired Savior who was relatively new there piped up, laughing and slapping his thighs, tickled by his own joke. Artemis bristled immediately, knowing the had made a costly mistake.  
  
"Excuse me?" Negan cocked his head toward the man, gritting his teeth. "Why don't you brush that stringy hair out of your face and say that a little louder so I can fucking hear you."  
  
"I, um... I said..."  
  
"I fucking heard you the first time, dipshit! Apparently you missed the fucking memo on Savior behavior. You think you can disrespect me like that and continue eating this fucking beautiful breakfast that these lovely ladies worked so hard to make?" Negan picked up the plate from in front of the man and began eating what was left. "This is mine now. _You_ are mine now. And you can take your sorry ass out to the fence and spend some time out there until you remember what respect means."  
  
Dwight grabbed the man by his shirt and dragged him out the side door, presumably taking him out to the chain-link fence where the wall of walkers would provide him with plenty to do while he pondered his lack of respect for the boss man. Artemis shook her head and looked down at her plate, then thinking twice and picking her head up high and looking around at the Saviors and the wives, showing defiance and pride. She wasn't about to cower in front of any of them.  
  
Negan stalked around the tables, looking menacingly at each person who had stopped eating to kneel and acknowledge him. "Would anyone else like to try hurling some rude words my way this morning?" He tapped Lucille on each table as he clomped by. "Because, you know, I do have worse punishments waiting for you." He gripped Lucille and stroked her handle. "And it's been a good while since Lucille has had any fun. No? No takers? Good. As you were!"  
  
Everyone got back into their seats and returned their gaze to the now cold food on their plates. Negan poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down next to Artemis. "How is my lady this morning?"  
  
"Negan, this isn't good. You know it's not."  
  
"What, this fucking breakfast? I'll give those cooks a good talking to!" He smiled and winked at her.  
  
"Ugh, Negan, you know I'm not talking about the damn food. I'm talking about what happened between us. Look at the way they're eying us now. We're supposed to be their leaders. This makes us a little too... real."  
  
"Fuck, my queen, I don't see anybody eying us now that I threatened their sorry asses with a beat-down from my other lady, Lucille!" He chuckled as he admired her wood grain and barbed wire. "We're the ones in charge. The fact that I fucking love you should be an inspiration to them, not a reason to give us shit."  
  
"Emphasis on _should_. That's obviously not the case." Artemis rubbed her tight neck muscles and looked at Negan with hesitation. "What are you gonna do, send _all of them_ to the fence? Smash _all_ of their skulls in with your bat? You can't make them respect you, and loving me makes you soft in their eyes."  
  
At that, his eyes gleamed. "There is nothing soft here when it comes to you, darlin'."  
  
"Negan! Be serious for a second. We have to handle this, and quickly."  
  
He looked down into the blackness of his coffee. "I know."  
  
  
That afternoon in the Sanctuary's main office, Artemis sat in Negan's leather executive chair behind his substantial mahogany desk, watching him pace. She had her elbows on the desktop, her hands folded, index fingers forming a quizzical pyramid against her lips. Negan was gorgeous even when he was pissed off and lost in thought. He stalked back and forth across the room, leather jacket hanging loosely over his white T-shirt, hands in his pockets. Artemis couldn't take her eyes off him.  
  
Suddenly he clapped his hands together. "We could have played this differently. Maybe we still fucking can."  
  
"Differently?" Artemis countered, skeptical expression remaining on her face. "The moment you decided to hole up in my building for two days straight was your mistake. People talk."  
  
Negan sauntered over to the desk, grinning and leaning down over her. "I don't know anyone who could resist what you were offering, sweet thing."  
  
"True," she laughed. "But we could have been more discreet."  
  
Negan ran his hand down his taut stomach, obscenely grabbing a handful of cock through his jeans. "Discreet isn't my style, babydoll."  
  
Artemis laughed and blushed. "God, Negan. You never turn it off."  
  
"Why would I turn it off when you love it so much?"  
  
Artemis shook her head to dislodge his naughtiness and her laughter from her mind, clearing her throat in an effort to be serious. "You were saying we can still play this differently?"  
  
"Maybe," he muttered halfway under his breath as he crossed the room to pour himself a glass of scotch. "Want a drink, babe?"  
  
"I'd rather have a martini, but I'll take what I can get."  
  
"One scotch, neat, coming up." Negan poured the glimmering brown liquid with a flourish. Crossing the room with the drinks in hand, he began sketching out his idea to have his cake and eat it too. Leave it to Negan to figure out a way to have what he wanted— Artemis — and what he needed — the respect of the Saviors. "All we've got to do is convince those sorry shits that we're not in love. That we're both just fucking to fulfill our own selfish needs."  
  
"This is your grand plan?" Artemis cocked an eyebrow at him as she sipped her scotch.  
  
"Do you have a better idea?"  
  
"No." She had to admit that she didn't. "I mean, aside from you branding a few of them with your iron to remind them that we're the ones in charge."  
  
Negan whistled with glee. "Oh, darlin', that does sound like fun! But if I overuse that shtick, it'll backfire on us. Always walking that fine fucking line between respect and hatred. Sometimes I think I could use a goddamn PR team."  
  
Artemis giggled. "That's funny, but you're right though. If we can be convincing, it will get them off our backs. I'm willing to try it. I don't know that I'm a great actress though."  
  
"Well, you've been acting happy for a long time."  
  
A frown crossed her face at his words. "Negan..."  
  
"I'm sorry I brought it up again."  
  
"Just give me some time, honey. I'm not the type to stay in one place for too long, you know." Artemis stood and walked over to Negan, sitting on his knee. "When I met you, I didn't think you were the type to actually fall in love. I thought I could stay for a while, build something good with you, and then run off to start over. It's what I do."  
  
"Love 'em and leave 'em, huh?"  
  
"More or less," she laughed, brushing her desert-colored hair behind her ear. "I've always been a bit of a loner. I love being independent. This... what we have here... is incredibly unnatural for me."  
  
"I get that." Negan's hand had been on her knee but now it was wandering up her thigh underneath her skirt. "I'd never force you to stay. But I'm not going to make it easy for you to leave either." Artemis moaned as Negan's fingers drifted even higher, rubbing at her slit through her lacy panties. "Mmm, you're already wet for me, baby."  
  
"Negan, I've got so much to do tonight."  
  
"Damn right you do, baby."  
  
"Ugh, Negan," she laughed sexily. "I really don't have time!"  
  
"Just a quickie, princess... my queen..."  
  
Negan had her at those two words. Artemis wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately. He stood and wrapped her legs around his waist, carrying her over to his desk. He cleared the desktop with his tattooed forearm, sweeping pencils and plans and paperwork off the surface in one quick motion.  
  
He set her down, pushing her backward to get a good view of her ample busom, her breasts squeezing valiantly against her too-tight white button-down shirt. With one hand, he freed his cock from his pants and pumped it threateningly at her. With the other, he popped just enough buttons on her shirt to expose her breasts. "Fuuuuck," he groaned. "I can't believe you're mine."  
  
She loved the sweet things he would say when they were intimate. She knew that he was a dirty talker with all of the wives, but she was quite certain that he didn't say things like _that_ to them. Even if he did love them, it wasn't in the same way that he loved her.  
  
"You sure you want this to be a quickie?" He looked at her hopefully, eyebrows raised, rubbing her wet pussy with his long fingers and smearing the wetness all over his dick.  
  
"Mmm, just fuck me, Negan."  
  
"Your wish is my command." He lifted her legs to his shoulders and he pressed against her, feeling her round ass against his thighs as he entered her. She was relaxed and open, ready to take every inch this time. He filled her from the first stroke, making her moan and sigh with abandon. "I... I... I love you, Negan."  
  
"I fucking love you, Artemis." The sounds of his heavy breathing sent her into the clouds as she lost herself in the rhythm of their lovemaking. She met every thrust and grinded hard against him, biting her lower lip and staring him in the face. All she wanted was to lose herself in the moment, let him carry her away, sweeping her mind away from all the complexities of the Sanctuary.  
  
And get lost, she did. Her senses were overloaded with every bit of Negan. His long, lean body against her. His thick cock driving into her at a maddening pace. His hands roaming all over her body and his strong arms squeezing her closer with every thrust. They climaxed within moments of each other and collapsed into a satisfied heap on the floor in front of the desk, laughing and kissing and nuzzling each other's necks.  
  
Even if every bit of her wanted to run away from the Sanctuary, she could not imaging leaving this man. From their emotional conversations to their undeniable physical connection, she felt she had met her match. But she didn't know if their plan would be enough to overcome the obstacle that the Saviors and the wives presented, and she wasn't sure if she had it in her to put on such an act.


End file.
